Virgin Atlantic is proud to announce that it has been named the Top Business Class Carrier on Transatlantic Routes by Conde Nast Traveler. In their October 2006 issue, Conde Nast Traveler conducted a business travel poll focusing on the top hotels and airlines for business travelers. Achieving an 86.7, the highest overall score, Virgin Atlantic came in first or second in every category.

The poll included separate ratings for seat comfort, food, cabin service, amenities/technology, lounge clubs and frequent flier privileges. Virgin Atlantic posted the top scores in three separate categories: Amenities/Technology, Lounge Clubs and Frequent Flyer Privileges.

  The top 10 included:

  Airline             Overall Score
  1.  Virgin Atlantic       86.7
  2.  Singapore           86.0
  3.  SAS               71.8
  4.  BA                 71.7
  5.  South African Airways   71.2
  6.  Continental           70.3
  7.  Swiss               64.5
  8.  Lufthansa           63.9
  9.  KLM               56.5
  10. Delta               55.8
 
Conde Nast Traveler is independent of the travel industry, ensuring their reports and recommendations are fair, impartial, and authoritative. Conde Nast Traveler truly puts itself in the traveler’s seat—emphasizing the integrity of its polls.

“Being named by Conde Nast Traveler readers as the top transatlantic business class carrier is an honor. It is especially gratifying because we know the voters are the people who are out there flying every day to drive their business. They are the high flyers who are moving business and culture forward and need certain things out of a flight to do so,” said Chris Rossi, Virgin Atlantic Vice President Sales and Marketing, North America.

“We’re grateful the readers have included us in such a group of airlines—all leaders of the industry. We’ll use this as motivation to work hard, making sure we stay in this company and hopefully score even higher next year.”

Virgin Atlantic was also named as the “top amenity kit award” by the business travelers polled.

Offering first class service at a business class price, Virgin Atlantic Upper Class offers a unique combination of product and service that is widely known for its unparalleled innovation and style. The Upper Class experience is designed to ensure each traveler is able to customize their trip to maximize their time in the air and on the ground.

In the air, the award-winning Upper Class Suite is like nothing else flying today. The product has been designed to be separately both the most comfortable bed and the most comfortable seat in the air. Instead of extending from a seat into a bed, the Virgin Atlantic seat provides the passenger with a luxury leather armchair to relax on which then flips over into a separate bed. With a touch of a button, each seat converts from leather recliner into a separate bed fully equipped with a proper mattress and fluffy duvet.

Travelers can enjoy their own private Suite equipped with extra large tables for working or holding one-on-one meetings, fully flat beds, power outlets for laptops, gourmet meals, spa treatments and a place where deals are closed everyday—the legendary onboard bar.

On the ground, passengers can take advantage of the complimentary limo service to and from the airport, Drive Thru Check In at Heathrow, and exclusive airport Clubhouses at both JFK and Heathrow, which recently raised the standard when it was unveiled to showcase the newly renovated, $11 million space featuring the Cow Shed Spa, the Bumble and Bumble salon, Jacuzzi, full business center and many gourmet meal options. Upon arrival in the morning after a night flight, Upper Class passengers can prepare for their day at the Revivals Lounge, enjoying a shower while clothes for the day are pressed to perfection, followed by a full, hot English breakfast. Once ready for the city, passengers are met at the Revivals Lounge by their driver, and escorted to their private, complimentary car for transfer to their final destination.

Virgin Atlantic won World’s Leading Inflight Entertainment and World’s Leading Travel Television Commercial honours at this year’s World Travel Awards gala ceremony in the Turks and Caicos.
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